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-Wordsmith

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Regarding President Obama's Address to School Kids

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about the importance of education while at an event at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, September 8, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES POLITICS EDUCATION)

It was a fine speech; the best I've heard him deliver. I think any child pulled out of school due to parental political partisanship missed out on a beautiful, presidential message.

12 Comments:

You know, Sparky..you came by my place saying this too. Good for Obama...he did get the ENVIRONMENT, HOMELESS and AIDS and how our country could be 'fairer' in, but that's no agenda, really, I suppose. Nobody wants homeless or AIDS, and our environment is something he hasn't had even handed input regarding OBVIOUSLY, but, okay....What I resent is the msm and others completely missing WHY Republicans were leery about this speech and REPORTING about how they look now after having made utter fools of themselves...AS IF...when it was because of the accompanying CURRICULUM they were upset. THAT is why. Who can slam a speech they haven't heard yet?

Good for Obama...the media sighs and he's on top again. Please see how Bush was treated in 1991....here's the link:

I didn't see the speech, but I did read it at their website, and you are correct, it was OK.

Like Z said, it wasn't the speech that was the problem, although I firmly believe it had some MAJOR revisions from the original!!! It was the accompanying curriculum, or should I say the ORIGINAL accompanying curriculum that was so bothersome to us. The msm and the white house spun this thing very well indeed. Z, the msm didn't "miss" anything! They know EXACTLY why, but you will NOT hear or read it from them! Biased bastards that they are!

Sorry, z. This is where I part company with the hyper-partisanship on our side of the aisle. I was apprehensive at first as well, for some of the reasons you are pointing out; but sometimes, you just have to take a step back and ask yourself if you are becoming some of what you hated in the DU/KosKiddie left when they excoriated Bush #43 over every little thing.

If we continue down this route, we give credence to the way partisans to the left wish to paint us in the eyes of the mainstream- a mob of fringe loons who can't even give it a rest on this one point.

This kind of indoctrination (check the video series) is a problem, however.

Hi WS-re:altered speech...since the portion that was to be written by the students to bho had been changed-due to the up-roar---do you not believe that the speech itself was not altered as well?...We all know where this guy is coming from...now!...Look at the company he keeps for one thing...I could go on ...and on ...and on...but I won't ...C-CS

Sparky, I still question that original curriculum and have a beef with the mainstream media's constant harangue today (and who knows how long?) with how Republicans criticized THE SPEECH when they hadn't even HEARD it!...How can we criticize if it hadn't been out there? IT WAS THE CURRICULUM.Plus, the hypocrisy of not mentioning in the msm how the Left treated Bush when he only spoke at ONE school with zero curriculum....(my link's above)That's my beef.

I've addressed my concerns to the original plan in the post I linked to, and others. I've since evolved from there, and some of our concerns may have had merit; or, we may be victims of our own hysteria and opposition to all things Obama.

Obama's given us just cause for suspicion and concern at everything he does, everything he touches. But, we should also be vigilante in not falling into a trap of self-sabotage and behave like hysterical loons. He could say "Have a nice day", and some of us will be suspiciously scrutinizing, "What did he mean by that? I see a hidden agenda..."

Do you see what I mean? There may never have been anything insidious at all, even in writing a letter on how kids could help the president of the U.S. Sure, we can read politics and indoctrination in one form or another, into it; or, it could be chalked up to narcissism. Obama's handlers may have been the ones who crafted that lesson plan, buying into Obama's own MLK/JFK hype.

I am just coming to the conclusion that it was much hoopla to do over very little.

WS-are we talking about a Republican like Gingrich who betrayed the mandate in 1994-199__when the Rs had a majority--or when he couch sat with Pelosi and Sharpton (sp)...that kind of RRRRRR?) ---or the continued stream of LOTES (Lesser of Two Evils) like McCain the aisle reacher and Feingold buddy?!! That kind of RRRRR...Since I came up with the acronym RINO-- some 17 years ago---(my friend had buttons made and took them to a RRR convention in Wash DC -she's a good marketier-- RINO took off!!) I have not trusted Rs...I trust no one who CYAs to keep their job nor do I trust the RNC-CRP-RNSC...I trust the Constitution...Excuse my passion-but-I've had enough of the lack of it..on the part of MY party...C-CS

Word - I have never had aproblem with any President speeking to kids. The WAY that Obama handled this particular speech was my problem with it. What he actually said was OK, rather ho hum but OK.

In contrast, in 1991 H.W.Bush gave a speech to kids. My son was in the first grade. The subject matter and synopsis of the speech was made available to parents two weeks before the speech rathe than less than 24 hours with Obama.

PTA groups were encouraged to discuss the speech before Bush deliverd it. The subject matter was in conjunction with his Just Say No to drugs initiative.

Parents were encouraged to attend the speech with their children at the school. Many schools would not allow parents to attend this speech and my understanding from questioning a school board member locally was that the DOE discouraged parental attendance.

Also there was no lesson plan with the Bush speech. All of these facts made a major difference in HOW this was handled. I agree with you that there was over reaction to the speech itself but it was handled poorly by Obama and the DOE.

Sparky, yes, I've considered that because he's given us just cause in so MANY areas, we may have gone too far with this one...I agree with you.

Re: the HW Bush speech, many people don't know how badly the Democrats reacted. I wish I had the link but you can find it pretty easily; I think it's at my place on a piece about the Obama speech, matter of fact. SENATE HEARINGS were held..they were outraged he'd do that! And with THIS GUY? SILENCE.. that SO bugs me.

Right now, I'm ticked at Joe Wilson who shouldn't have yelled YOU LIE; He DID lie, Wilson's right, but what a thing to do. Rachel Maddow led with that afterwards, Larry King apparently did and mcCain on his show skewered Wilson; Way to go, Wilson, give the far left and the "I'm so happy to slam my own Republicans so I can look COOL and above that behavior" senators MORE ammunition against conservatives. DAYUM!